Lithium-based batteries have become commercially successful due to their relatively high energy density. Suitable positive electrode materials for lithium-based batteries include materials that can intercalate lithium atoms into their lattice. The negative electrode can be lithium metal, lithium alloys or compounds that can reversibly intercalate lithium atoms into their lattice. In conventional terminology, lithium-based batteries formed from lithium metal or lithium alloy negative electrodes are referred to as lithium batteries while batteries formed with an anode (negative electrode) active material that can intercalate lithium ions are referred to as lithium ion batteries.
In order to produce improved batteries, various materials have been examined for use as cathode (positive electrode) active materials for lithium based batteries. A variety of materials, generally chalcogenides, are useful in lithium based batteries. For example, vanadium oxides in certain oxidation states are effective materials for the commercial production of positive electrodes for lithium based batteries. Also, metal vanadium oxide compositions have been identified as having high energy densities and high power densities, when used in positive electrodes for lithium based batteries. Silver vanadium oxide has a particularly high energy density and high power densities, when used in lithium based batteries. Silver vanadium oxide batteries have found particular use in the production of implantable cardiac defibrillators where the battery must be able to recharge a capacitor to deliver large pulses of energy in rapid succession.